Has ClubSNAP become a sourcing spot for cheap photographers. Are we being taken adv?

Are we being taken advantage off?

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pointblankshots said:
First time in this thread... So Hi All...Happy New Year..
..........etc etc etc...........

For the many who may be wanting a chance to craft out a name for oneself, the sad way to go in Singapore is sometimes, having to go free, or cheap in our instances... That 'unndercutting' is not wrong. We would all take it as a form of healthy competition...

....
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Well said :thumbsup:
Fair, inspiring and logical.

I believe everybody must start from somewhere
SOMETIMES whether we like it or not, charging for free or cheaply is the only window of opportunity for newcomer to gain more experience and learn the trade in hardway.
There is nothing better then gaining experience by actually doing it rather then reading it from the book or by attending many proffesional courses.

I believe we need to give people a chance to try.
Sometimes they make it, sometimes they dont.
How to get a chance?
Well, I suppose many newbies think the easist way out is to do it for FREE.:dunno: ( i think)

I personally felt many expert or experiences photographer in the industries don't/ rarely/ not keen to share the secret of their trade (I cant blame them ;p )
I have tried few times asking my others fellow photographer if its ok I tag along with them to his wedding shoot or at least learn what normally/ how they do it.
What is the process, how they handle situation and etc etc etc (You can't learn all this in class or book).
BUT, most of the time you will get the answer: "ah lah, dont do it lah. its very tiring job. you start from morning to night.......bla bla bla.........and bla bla bla........"
After a while, you get the hints what his trying to tell you.
So sometimes I always have this feeling doing it for free its another best ALTERNATIVE to gain more experiences.

I dont support nor againts the newbies doing it for free.
But I just believe everyone should be given a chance to start from somewhere.
The rest is up to them....(Just my own opinion to share :sweat: )

Note: Photography is just my hobby and I have never make a cents out of my camera since I started.:cry:
 

this thread will never die...haha...:)

I agree with pointblankshots, that most of us do have our own clients and at times, it will be very difficult for newbies to break into this particular circle.

Even when we cannot cover the event, we will get frens to do it for us. Thus the circle remains close.

So in a way, can't really blame the newbies or new startups for pricing cheaper to get into the market?

Guess it is a vicious cycle..
 

so let the wars begin!

:rbounce::rbounce::flame::gbounce::gbounce:
 

its been a long time since i visited this thread (when i first started it :D) and i just thought that i'd like to thank everyone for having contributed to it. Its nice to know the opinion of members since most of us are now freelancing in some way or another. Since posting this thread, i've 'retired' from paid jobs and now only do shoots for friends on special requests or for charitable organizations/events. I guess being able to associate myself with a better cause is good enough payment for me. I have hence joined the mass of free shooters!
 

szekiat said:
its been a long time since i visited this thread (when i first started it :D) and i just thought that i'd like to thank everyone for having contributed to it. Its nice to know the opinion of members since most of us are now freelancing in some way or another. Since posting this thread, i've 'retired' from paid jobs and now only do shoots for friends on special requests or for charitable organizations/events. I guess being able to associate myself with a better cause is good enough payment for me. I have hence joined the mass of free shooters!
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Doin free shooting for a good cause:thumbsup: is different from doin free from the suckers who think that they can get a photog which gives them good photos:thumbsd: ...
Worse still, they sometimes demand the service of professionals from these free photographers...
I have got some bad experience myself, and they would try to pull you into shooting for them for free again and again....I just refused, and they could get a paid photg the next moment:sticktong
I would gladly do free events shoots that would benefit the less fortunate.
not to mention my good buds who need photogs...
 

i was surprised somebody actually PM me to offer free services.

After some thought, I decided to choose the most expensive few for viewing their portfolio. Unfortunately, the most expensive one is not the best. Or shall I say, we picked the one that we feel most comfortable?

I think online portfolio does help a lot. Those who straight away offered me the quotes without showing me any portfolio online are disqualified immediately.
 

something to share...

was approached to do an event shoot.
spanning 5evenings, 4hrs each evening.

the fee they offered? S$200/. only and still wanna bang down the price. :bsmilie:

and sad to say, a fellow photographer has been charging them much lesser all this while, some S$60/. for 2rolls! and i know that photographer! :sweat:

if u're a professional, pls do not lower urself and cite nonsensical reasons and excuses such as the market forces the price down etc.etc. u shud charge accordingly to ur ability and skill level. if u accept that paltry amount, very often and most likely then not, ur market value will always be that amount.
 

5 nights x 4 hrs = 20 hours.

S$200 / 20 = S$10/hr.

For the S$60 guy, lagi better, S$60 / 20 = S$3/hr?

Cheesecake said:
something to share...

was approached to do an event shoot.
spanning 5evenings, 4hrs each evening.

the fee they offered? S$200/. only and still wanna bang down the price. :bsmilie:

and sad to say, a fellow photographer has been charging them much lesser all this while, some S$60/. for 2rolls! and i know that photographer! :sweat:

if u're a professional, pls do not lower urself and cite nonsensical reasons and excuses such as the market forces the price down etc.etc. u shud charge accordingly to ur ability and skill level. if u accept that paltry amount, very often and most likely then not, ur market value will always be that amount.
Click to expand...
 

60 dollars for 2 rolls is not too bad yet. In the days of film, it used to be about $45/roll for event shoots i think. Remember that in event shoots, you expect to use at least 10 rolls per event, if not more so he really was looking at about $300 per night. Unless i'm missing something in cheesecake's case.
 

the problem is my friends, throughout the whole event on each evening, only 2 rolls were used.


:bsmilie: :bsmilie: tat was what i was told! not much to shoot becos traffic flow isn't that great. well, i dun really know. but it seems that there might be specific rules laid down on which and what to take.

S$200 for 20hrs, i dun even want to carry on further with the discussion. they can approach that former photographer. :bsmilie:
 

well, with many wannabeess......it's hard.

you guys shall not complain but focus on building your own brand. dun rely on forums like this to get business lar. You must know how to choose customers also.
 

sometimes, once the clients are comfortable with your style..they will stick to you one...no worries...:)
 

wow... never thought that this thread is still surviving.. :bsmilie:
 

~Arcanic~ said:
wow... never thought that this thread is still surviving.. :bsmilie:
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It's good what. At least won't be locked. :D
 

It all depends on your attitude and how much you value your work. There is no fix price for services. A contractor can charge 100k to renovate a house, while another charges 25k. Its a matter of how much you can afford to absorb, in order to build up that track record if you are a beginner. If you are a season photographer, it is natural that you would expect a higher fee in return for the proven expertise.

If not, George Lucas should come to clubsnap to get a few amatuers to do his photoshoot for him. But he doesn't. Because the expectation is there.

Get my drift?
 

Divine_Monk said:
It all depends on your attitude and how much you value your work. There is no fix price for services. A contractor can charge 100k to renovate a house, while another charges 25k. Its a matter of how much you can afford to absorb, in order to build up that track record if you are a beginner. If you are a season photographer, it is natural that you would expect a higher fee in return for the proven expertise.

If not, George Lucas should come to clubsnap to get a few amatuers to do his photoshoot for him. But he doesn't. Because the expectation is there.

Get my drift?
Click to expand...

:bsmilie: :thumbsup:
 

If there's one thing I don't understand about people in S'pore, it that they are so willing to splash out on invitation cards, the location for the banquet, the suit and gown, the Mercedes rental, the food, the gifts, the DJ/Emcee, etc.

But when it comes to the photographer, they stinge. It kinda blows my mind, really. They will ask, discuss, ponder, then in the end say something like, "oh, we've got a cousin who will shoot for us."
 

i guess they are just not appreciative of what photographers can do. after all, they think we just TAKE photos.

most look at equipment too, which is very saddening. sometimes "the moment" can also be captured with a P&S, no one knows when you can take a good shot.
 

synapseman said:
If there's one thing I don't understand about people in S'pore, it that they are so willing to splash out on invitation cards, the location for the banquet, the suit and gown, the Mercedes rental, the food, the gifts, the DJ/Emcee, etc.

But when it comes to the photographer, they stinge. It kinda blows my mind, really. They will ask, discuss, ponder, then in the end say something like, "oh, we've got a cousin who will shoot for us."
Click to expand...

Well, it really depends on how you convince your clients. Some photographers charge the sky, others charge peanuts. Gotta open your mouth to talk to them. Ritz Carlton have different charges from lai lai happy family restaurant too.

nuff said.
 

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